Chemical plant explodes near Boston (AP)

[Canuckistanian]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061122/ap_on_re_us/massachusetts_explosion

By GLEN JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
15 minutes ago

DANVERS, Mass. - A chemical plant outside Boston blew up Wednesday with a roar so thunderous that people thought it was an earthquake or a plane crash, destroying two dozen homes in the tightly packed neighborhood but causing only minor injuries.


The fiery blast flattened the CAI Inc., a manufacturer of solvents and inks, around 3 a.m., knocking buildings off their foundations, shredding roofs and shattering windows in neighboring Salem. The explosion could be heard more than 20 miles away.

~snip

Nearly 90 homes were damaged, with roughly 25 wrecked beyond repair, but only 10 of the more than 300 people believed to be in the neighborhood were hurt, and their injuries were minor, authorities said. The plant was empty at the time.

"The miracle is you have the equivalent of a 2,000-pound bomb going off in a residential neighborhood at night when everybody is home, and no one's dead and no one is seriously injured," Gov. Mitt Romney said.

[lse7581011]

1. Nearly 60 Miles Away!

My windows shook! Thought we were having a minor earthquake! Got up and looked around and saw nothing out of place. Couldn't get back to sleep though wondering what had happened. Didn't know until I turned on the news at 5!

[Canuckistanian]

2. Where are you? n/t

[lse7581011]

3. Kittery Point, ME n/t

[Warpy]

8. Yow!

It's amazing nobody got badly hurt, let alone killed, in that blast.

People out west have no idea how congested the cities back east are. Having a small chemical plant for a close neighbor isn't just in poor areas.

I was there the night Chelsea burned down in the 70s, only lucky thing was no blast then, only near hurricane winds.

[babylonsister]

4. Isn't this the one that blew up early this a.m.? nt

[Canuckistanian]

7. 3 AM

I just heard about it from a colleague.

[bluerum]

5. Why is a plant like this in a residential area?? nt

[lse7581011]

6. With A Propane Factory Across The Street? n/t

[KSU Wildcat]

9. Probably when it was first built

it was out in the country, but people moved in all around it. Not very smart.

[D-U-D-E]

12. more like lower value housing in a rather industrial area n/t

[PartTimeSatanist]

10. That's a plant? Where is the rest of it?

I got a bigger tool shed than that "plant".

[D-U-D-E]

11. Thats not the plant

that image posted earlier is the building which housed the Danversport Pizza Factory, an adjacent building, which was shattered by the explosion.

this image shows what is left of the industrial building. Search for Danversport Ma on google earth. the little area on the east side of route 35 is the affected area. You can find the swimming pool in this photo and get some perspective. It's miraculous that no one was killed.

[Canuckistanian]

13. Actually, that's a picture of a bakery

It was mentioned in the original article. The plant is gone.